Improvement in fair-leaders for ships  rigging



J. SAMPSON.

FAIR-LEADERS FOR SHIPS meenw.

Patented Aug. 8, 1878.

Inve ltnr Z Vitnessus UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES SAMPSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

lMPROVEM'ENTIN FAIR-LEADERS FOR SHIPS RIGGING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 180,934, dated August 8, 1876; application filed February 10, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SAMPSON, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented a Fair-Leader; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it.most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to certain improvements in that class of devices known as fairleaders, for running rigging on vessels; and it consists in so constructing the leader that while I retain a block containing a number of leading holes or openings, through which ropes from different parts of the rigging may be led to the proper points, I am still enabled to reduce it materially in size and secure it to a shroud or other rope without its being in any way clumsy.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my fair-leader, showing its attachment to the rigging.

A is the body of my leader, which is made of metal and pierced with holes B B, to receive the running ropes and lead them to their destination. By constructing it of metal I am enabled to make the sides much thinner and lighter, curving inward between the openings, so that it will not occupy much space, and will not, be liable to interfere with or catch the rigging. The portion C, which fits against the shroud D, is made in the formlof a partial sleeve, and is united by a neck with the body A. The sleeve C "is quite short, and a hole or slot, 6, is made throughthe neck, between the parts A and C, for the purpose of receiving the marlin or wire which serves to secure the leader to the shroud.

By this construction I am enabled to secure my fair-leader more firmly to its place, and with very little danger of chafing or wearing the lashings free.

I am aware that a curved plate similar to the sleeve C has been constructed and provided with a pair of lugs, between which a pulley turns. The ends of this plate were so extended that a lashing was put about each end to hold it in place; but'it will be manifest that this device could only be used for special purposes, and that the material forming the lashing would be subject to chafing and wear to a much greater extent than in my device.

As my leader must carry two, three, or more ropes, which come to it from different and varying angles, the holes B must be smooth and round, and, by constructing it of metal, with thin sides, it is made much smaller, lighter, and more graceful, with less liability to foul the running rigging.

My fair-leader is especially designed for handling the sails of vessels; and I am enabled, by my method of securing it, to do away with the old circular leader, with lashings around the outside, which it was almost impossible to retain in place.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, a sleeve or curved plate secured to a shroud by lanyards at each end, nor the combination of such a plate with a pulley and supporting ears or lugs; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is-

A fair-leader consisting of the metallic block A, curved as shown, and pierced with openings B B B, and provided with the sleeve or plate C, perforated or slotted at e, to receive the lashing which secures it to the shroud D, substantially as herein described.

JAMES SAMPSON.

Witnesses:

GEo. H. STRONG, O. M. RICHARDSON. 

